Blood transfusions are used for a wide variety of patients under many circumstances. Most blood transfusions are, in fact, transfusions of red blood cells. Red blood cells are stored in red blood cell (RBC) units. The blood banking industry, transfusion industry, and hospitals monitor RBC units. The current maximum age for transfusable RBC units is 42 days. RBC units are typically administered on a first-in first-out (FIFO) basis.